Disclaimer: You have no idea how sick I am of disclaimers. I'm so incredibly sick of disclaimers that I'm not going to put one. Hah. So there. Except for I really am going to put one because I don't want to go to jail for stealing the gorgeous Edward Cullen. Oh well then…. I don't own them.

And thanks x 8932749387059948293847094870394875039487293857092 to those of you who reviewed. Feedback/input is what keeps me going.

I thrive on your comments so, if you want me to live, keep reviewing.

Actually kidding about that, but I really do appreciate feedback.

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Do. Not. Worry.

Do. Not. Worry.

Do. Not… Enough of that. Between Edward's disappearance, my bleeding head, and my overbearingly guilty conscience, worrying was the most natural frame of mind for me. I couldn't let it go. I stood at the edge of The Forest for a good ten minutes just contemplating my possible courses of action and their specific outcomes. Most of my ideas ended very badly, and many of them required my death.

This brought another question to mind. Would I die for Edward? It had always seemed like something I'd be willing to do but, when it came down to it, would I actually do it? Did I have the strength?

I decided that was something I didn't want to test. After all, the point of my coming out here was to find Edward and help him, not to make him feel guilty about my death. God knows he has enough things to worry about in regard to my well being- I'm not exactly the most coordinated human being on the planet. I walked into doors, fell down stairs, almost got crushed by flying vehicles… Edward had saved my life enough times to recognize my deficiency. He'd be highly disappointed to know that I had come all the way out here for him. He'd think I was an idiot.

I entered The Forest warily with no regard whatsoever to my plans, focusing intently at the strange color of the woodland floor. That color; so distinct, yet so incredibly undefined. There was nothing to compare it to, nothing exactly the same. Nothing was the same.

There was something- the remnants of my dream, maybe- that kept my focus clear as I walked through the woods. I jumped at every noise, every movement I detected among the flora. I remembered what Edward had said: "They don't want us to exist, not in reality, not in memory." Those few haunting words kept me conscious, and I just couldn't mistake the strange yellow glow radiating from the leaves for sunlight. It was much too ominous for that.

Something stirred in the tree directly above my head; I glanced upward, but there was nothing to be seen. A presence felt in the back of my mind sent chills of panic up and down my spine as I remembered the warning, It's you they're after. Here I stood, possibly in the midst of my aggressors, completely apathetic towards the fact that my life was on the line. A line which I, in my mortal insufficiency, could not see.

They could find me at any minute. Nothing was defending me save my own, menial wit, and the only being with a chance to save me thought I was safe at home, in Forks. I breathed warily, not wanting to disturb the balance between the real and the obscure that this mysterious forest harbored. This was not the place for someone like me.

Suddenly I felt eyes burning holes in the back of my head. I whipped around, startled by the intensity of the feeling, and slammed into the cold, hard chest of a man about a foot taller than me.

I was too afraid to move. I had only been this close to danger once in my life, but I'd known then what I was getting myself into. This was too shocking, to close for comfort, and way to threatening towards my existence. I looked up, fearfully, at his faultless features. This had to be one of Them.

His eyes were a stunning violet color, circled in scarlet and spotted with tints of ginger. His pupils were huge, black and cunning, almost laughing at the look of distress I'm sure was creeping across my face. His face was angular and dark, his lips perfectly contoured to fit the flow of his face. His hair astounded me the most- it was radiant and black, almost shaded blue, and it seemed to shine without reserve in the nonexistent light of The Forest.

"Are you lost?" His voice flowed like honey, smooth and sweet, but something in his tone stung my senses.

"No." Brevity is the soul of wit.

"Oh. Well then, may I be informed as to the motivation for your isolated walk in this darkened wood?" His use of language puzzled me. It was way too wordy- not even conventional.

"I'm meeting a friend." Such a stupid reply. There was nothing I could do to backup this lie. But then again, I was terrified beyond words, and quick thinking was no longer existent.

"Let me get this straight," he laughed stiffly, "you're meeting your friend in an old, abandoned, Canadian wood? You don't sound like a local."

"Yes." Brevity was taking control of my speech, and making my lies seem even more irrational. "Yes."

"Bella, walk towards me."

It was as if he'd put me under some strange, hypnotic spell, the way I followed him. How he knew my name I do not know, but then it seemed insignificant. As I walked towards him I could almost feel him reeling me in, pulling me closer with some strange power I could not control. My brain was screaming to my legs to stop, but I was completely under his power. There was nothing I could do.

He put his hands around my waist when I got close enough. He was icily cold, colder than Edward ever was, and as his fingers brushed my skin I almost collapsed from the chills. He pulled me close and brought a hand to my face, stroking my cheek almost to delicately, like he was holding back…

Before I knew it his mouth was at my neck, pain coursing through my veins, a sensation of helplessness overcoming my ever-weakening body. His teeth pressed hard into my flesh and I collapsed, but he held me fast. I couldn't move, the pain was so intense. I felt his fingernails digging into the flesh of my stomach, the back of my neck… the blood from the wound in my head flowed freely down my face.

And then it was over. He dropped me to the ground, satisfied enough with my blood. I felt my eyes roll back into my head. Felt them only- I could not control them. My veins were throbbing throughout my body, the pain was excruciating…

"Thanks, Bella. I wish I could save you."

And the blackness took over.

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